MI-GOV: New claims of invalid signatures leveled in Michigan GOP governor race
Lansing — Letters sent Thursday to the Michigan Bureau of Elections allege that two of the leading Republican candidates for governor, John James and Perry Johnson, have numerous invalid signatures on the petition sheets needed to secure spots on the August primary ballot.
The challenges come as the state Bureau of Elections combs through candidate signatures to ensure gubernatorial hopefuls have the 15,000 valid signatures required to appear on the Aug. 4 ballot.
State election officials eventually will present their findings to the Michigan Board of State Canvassers, which will make the ultimate call regarding the candidates' eligibility. The letters sent to the Bureau of Elections ahead of Thursday's deadline flagged several alleged issues in the signatures, including suspicious handwriting, ineligible signers and duplicate signatures.
The James campaign dismissed the challenge submitted against it and chalked it up as an unserious distraction.
https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2026/05/07/michigan-republican-governor-perry-johnson-john-james-signature-petition/89986317007/